


Right Hand: Heart

by QuokkaFoxtrot



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alcohol, Confessions, Drunkenness, M/M, OOC Beer Shotgunning, Party, Pining, Tumblr: pacrimholidayswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 03:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5523536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuokkaFoxtrot/pseuds/QuokkaFoxtrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two beers. That was all it took these days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right Hand: Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stunnerstorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stunnerstorm/gifts).



> My gift for Stunnerstorm in the 2015 [PacRim Holiday Swap](http://pacrimholidayswap.tumblr.com/). \o/
> 
> Beta by Antheia, mistakes by me.

Two beers. That was all it took these days. Two beers and he can feel his cheeks tingling with incipient numbness and his neck hot and flushing red. Well, two and a half. He'd been arguing good-naturedly with some LOCCENT techs for the better part of his third and may have spilled some down the leg of his jeans. He'd only been demonstrating proper Riker Stance. It was science.

He's wiping his jeans with a napkin when he feels the hair on his neck prickle and he looks over his shoulder, scanning the room until his eyes come to rest on _Hermann_.

Hermann with his stupid floofy _hair_ and his granny glasses on a _chain_ and he's wearing the blazer with the leather patches sewn onto its freaking _elbows_ and _oh god_ he's so _cute_ and he's doomed. Newt's so _doomed_. 

Hermann sniffs and turns back to the group of engineers he's talking to and Newt feels a small pang in his chest.

Newt looks down at his pants with a sigh; the napkin's soggy and slowly disintegrating against the denim grain and he's _still_ got a stupid crush on a guy who wouldn't piss on him if he were on fire.

A hand slaps him on the shoulder and he stumbles to the side, but then Tendo's righting him, squeezing his shoulder as he starts to guide him through the crowd.

"Happy End-of-Year Let's-Get-Shitfaced-And-Be-Grateful-We-Didn't-Die Celebration, my man. I hope you didn't forget-"

"I didn't forget the senior staff party," Newt says, letting himself be pulled towards the door.

"You clearly forgot the part where senior staff are supposed to _wait_ to get drunk," Tendo says with a smirk as he pushes him toward the door with a single hand.

"Yeah, I know, we're supposed to be Paragons of Virtue or whatever, but I've had two, dude. _Two_. Well, two and _a bit_. Whatever. My tolerance has gone to shit." Newt comes to a stop and turns a slow circle, frowning at Tendo's retreating back. "You're not coming with?"

"I've still got a couple of Russians and a physicist to round up," Tendo says and waves Newt off. "I'll see you there."

"Fine, I'll just rock up to the party by myself. _Alone_. So alone!" Newt says in a dramatic tone and heads out of the commissary. 

When Newt walks in to the smaller recreation room, Mako and the Marshall, wearing matching sweaters, are speaking softly and setting out plates of cookies and food beside a pyramid of PPDC Beer. He immediately feels like he's intruding - the smile slides from Pentecost's face, settling into a bland mask of politeness as he looks at Newt.

"Uh, sorry? Um, Tendo said I should- He's just rounding up the oth- I can come back." Newt gestures over his shoulder with his thumb, trying not to stumble as he steps back into the hall, but then Mako's shaking her head, smile bright as she gestures for Newt to come in.

"Come in, Newt. It is okay," she says and throws a fondly exasperated look at Pentecost. "Sensei has forgotten that he is allowed to _relax_ tonight."

Pentecost narrows his eyes at Mako, draws a breath, and pauses. He shakes his head as he lets the breath out with a rumbling laugh and brushes his palm over the back of her head. "Luckily, I have you to remind me."

"You will be wearing a party hat by the end of the night," she says with a decisive nod and a grin, ducking away as he ruffles her hair. "Newt, we have crackers. Break one with me!" She hurries around the table and holds out the end of the cracker.

"Okay, sure, just let me-" Newt takes the end of the cracker, wiggling his finger and thumb into the end to grab the little cardboard strip. 

Mako counts to three and they pull. The cracker bursts with a small pop, leaving Newt holding the cardboard strip and the contents flying onto the floor.

"I won!" Mako cries, joy lighting up her face as she crouches down to pick up the items. "Okay, we have Sensei's hat," she says with a cheeky grin as she sets the paper crown aside. "A plastic toy... I think it's a lizard?" She holds it up for Newt to see and he adjusts his glasses as he leans down.

"Looks like an alligator... maybe a crocodile. It's got the wider mouth of an alligator, but the teeth are showing, which alligator's can't do when their jaws are closed. I'd say... it was made by a company that didn't do their research," Newt says, straightening up and shaking his head.

"You should have it," Mako says, passing it to him. "You can use it to explain how people are wrong."

"Cheeky," Newt says, shaking her head at him. "I think you've got me mixed up with Hermann. _He's_ the one who's hellbent on proving people wrong all the time. I just... point out inaccuracies when they're presented to me." Newt blinks at Mako and Stacker, wondering if they bought it. Judging by the look that passes between them, he's guessing they didn't. "Did you get a joke? Tell me they didn't leave out the joke."

Mako shakes out the party hat and a small piece of paper falls to the ground. Scooping it up, she holds it out triumphantly and begins to read. "Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas?"

"I dunno. Who?"

"Santa Jaws!"

"Oh man, that's awful. I love it," Newt says and plucks a beer from the top of the pyramid. "Do you-"

The door bursts open and Tendo walks through, arms raised above his head in victory. "I have everyone! We're here! Time to make some noise! Mako, hit the tunes. Newt, beer me."

Newt looks at the beer in his hand and passes it over to Tendo. He reaches for another and then the Weis are standing in front of him, holding out their hands. He passes one to Cheung, to Hu, to Jin, and sighs when he sees Sasha and Aleksis smirking down at him. He hands over another two, raising an eyebrow as Aleksis sets two bottles of vodka on the table with a rattling thump before taking a can and walking away.

"Is celebration," Sasha says with a wicked smile. "We party." She plucks a can from the pyramid and Newt's left standing there, eyeing the vodka thoughtfully.

"Are you going to stare at it all night, or pour it?"

Newt's gaze jerks up to see Hermann staring at him, lips pursed in a moue of distaste and eyes dull with disappointment.

"You don't want to start with a beer?" Newt asks, hand drifting to the pyramid as if on autopilot.

"If I wanted to start with a beer, I would have _asked_ for a beer." Hermann sniffs and waves the hand holding his cane towards the stack of plastic cups beside the pyramid. "Now pour. And don't be stingy; it's a _party_."

"Sir, yes, sir," Newt says with a roll of his eyes. He picks up a cup and places it down, glancing quickly over his shoulder at Hermann before setting his shoulders and putting another cup beside it. Picking up the vodka he pours at least two shots into both and passes one to Hermann. 

Taking his own cup he looks Hermann squarely in the eye and raises an eyebrow in challenge.

Hermann shakes his head and looks into the cup. "Bottoms up." He upends the cup into his mouth and Newt follows suit.

The alcohol burns his throat and makes him cough, but he looks at Hermann through watering eyes and holds up the bottle. "Another?"

Hermann's cheeks are red and blotchy as he clears his throat and rasps. "Yes."

Newt pours for them both, hands a little unsteady making the bottle rattles against the lip of the cup, and takes a deep breath as he stares at the liquid. He's feeling a little lightheaded; the beer and vodka sending warmth radiating from his stomach and out his limbs. His lips are tingling.

"I might- This one should be... sipped. _Savoured_ ," Hermann says, sounding a little bit absent. The tips of his ears have turned red and the alcohol's smoothed out the frown in his brow and the permasneer of his upper lip. "I'm going to _savour_ it."

"Good- Yeah, that's a- Great, good, good idea," Newt says, lifting the cup and taking a small sip. 

"I think this might be pure ethanol," Hermann says casually, swirling the liquid.

"I think... you're probably right."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that," Hermann says, eyes dancing with mirth and Newt didn't think he could get any cuter but then he pulls _this_? "Did you just say you think I'm _right_?"

"I said _prob_ -"

"Hey, you two, stop bickering and get over here," Tendo yells from the other side of the room. "We've got Twister!"

"Don't we have to be, y'know, _drunk_ to play Twister?" Newt yells back, noticing the way Hermann's tensing and the frown's returned.

"Drunk Twister's just... messy," Tendo says, striding over and slinging his arms over Newt and Hermann's shoulders. "Tipsy is the Twister sweet spot. Drunk enough to lose your inhibitions, not drunk enough to lose your motor coordination. Come on, it'll be fun."

"I suppose I'll just sit in a corner and get quietly sloshed," Hermann says with a sneer, trying to shrug out from under Tendo's arm.

"Oh, nonono! You, my good man, will be lording over all of us with the spinner," Tendo says, tightening his grip on Hermann's shoulder. "You're also in charge of taking embarrassing photos, none of which you will be in."

Hermann narrows his eyes at Tendo, clearly weighing up his options, before the expression turns sly. "You've... _twisted_ my arm," he says, a small, pleased smile tugging up the corner of his mouth.

Tendo throws back his head and laughs before letting go and running back to the drinks table and grabbing a couple of beers. 

"Sir," he says, turning to Pentecost. "I'm going to need you to drink this and take off your shoes."

"I'll accept the drink, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit this one out," Pentecost says with a smile and a shake of his head.

"Sorry, sir. I didn't spend a week tracking down the biggest Twister mat I could find just to have you sit out. It's all or nothing tonight." Tendo shrugs. "I don't make the rules."

Pentecost stares at Tendo for a long moment. The room goes quiet except for the music blasting in the corner as everyone watches with bated breath. Just when the tension couldn't get any more unbearable, he fishes in his pocket and then he's puncturing the can and upending it into his mouth.

Newt's eyes bug out of his head as he watches but the Wei's are cheering and Tendo laughs and when he finishes, Pentecost crushes the can in one hand and lobs it at the nearest trashcan.

"Let me show you how it's _done_ ," Pentecost says, toeing his shoes off and slapping his hands together. "Bring it."

There's a rush as everyone moves to the side of the room to toe their shoes off. Hermann settles himself on a chair near the mat and accepts the spinner, a camera and a beer from Tendo.

Newt sits beside him to undo his boots, thankful that he's wearing his party socks. And that they're mostly clean. 

He downs the last of his cup and freezes, breath coming out in a rough gasp.

"You forgot that was vodka, didn't you?" Hermann says, amusement tingeing his tone.

"I totally did," he wheezes, shaking his head as he stands and stumbles. The room's feeling a little warm and he has to loosen his tie a little. "Okay, all of you people can have your tipsy Twisters. _I'm_ playing accidentally _drunk_ Twisters, alright? Alright."

"Small science man will bring us all down," Aleksis says, slapping a large hand on Newt's back.

"Small science man's gonna _wipe the floor_ with all'a you," Newt says and wonders if having at least four shots of vodka in five minutes rates in his top ten worst ideas. After a moment's consideration, he realises it doesn't even crack the top fifty and rolls up his sleeves. "C'mon spinman, spin us up some spins."

Hermann sets his beer down and flicks the spinner, watching intently as it goes around. "Right foot... blue."

Newt smacks his foot down on blue and puffs out his chest. "A winner is _me_."

"It's the first color, man," Tendo says, elbowing Newt in the side. "We're _all_ winners."

"Psh, whatever," Newt says, waving a hand dismissively before looking at Hermann. "Hurry up, next color, next color."

The next ten minutes are spent in a challenge of reach and flexibility; Mako slithers through gaps that no one else dares even try, the Wei's are twisted in a confusingly fluid knot, and Aleksis' ability to hold himself up on single fingers draws the envy of all. 

"I hope I'm doing this right," Hermann's voice comes in a soft, perplexed tone. "I can't read without my glasses."

Newt cranes his head to look at him. "Dude, it's got _pictures_. You don't need to read pictures."

"Oh is _that_ what those are," Hermann says, lifting his cup to take another sip. "And here I was thinking you'd drawn more scrawly kaijus everywhere."

"Would you two stop flirting and call out the nex-"

"Right hand red," Hermann cuts him off and any more comments are cut off in the attempt to get into position.

Newt's been holding his face away from an ass for the past three moves and eventually gives in and rests his face against it. "Whoever's ass this is is, like, super comfy. Seriously, it's like a pillow." 

"Damnit, Newt, get your head off my ass!" Tendo's voice comes from somewhere under Pentecost's armpit.

"I'm just saying you could rent it out to people for naps," Newt says and nuzzles into the soft flesh." _Spongy.“_

_“_ My ass is not _spongy!_ " Tendo says and jerks his hips away from Newt. His hips hit the back of Pentecost's knee sending him falling to the side, pushing the Wei's into Aleksis who slips and takes out Sasha's forearm sending her sliding onto Mako and leaving Newt swaying in place.

"Holy shit, did I just win?" Newt asks, staring at the pile of limbs around him.

Sasha reaches out a hand and pokes Newt behind the knee, making him wobble and fall.

"I won!" Newt cries, rolling onto his back on top of the pile and raising his arms in victory. "I won accidentally drunk Twister!"

"You were the only one _playing_ accidentally drunk Twister," Tendo says, untangling himself enough to mess up Newt's hair. 

"We were playing deliberately drunk Twister," one of the Wei's voices comes from their corner of the mat.

"And you guys could still move like that? _Shit,_ " Newt says, staring at the ceiling as everyone slowly extracts themselves and leaves Newt alone on the mat. "Rematch?"

"I think we've had quite enough Twister for one night," Pentecost says, dusting himself off as he reaches for another beer.

"I'm the Shatterdome Twister Champion!" Newt whoops and rolls onto his stomach to push himself up to his knees. He can't stop grinning and when he looks over at Hermann, even he's giving him an indulgent smile. "This calls for a victory drink. You want?" He pushes up to his feet and grabs his cup from beside Hermann.

"Spinning is ver' thirsty work," Hermann says with a serene smile and hands over his empty cup.

Newt refills their drinks and brings them back, weaving around the Wei's and Kaidonovsky's dancing in the middle of the room and only stumbling a little.

"I forgot what it was like to be _drunk_ ," Newt says with a smile as he flops into the seat beside Hermann. "Good drunk. _Happy_ drunk."

"'S been a while," Hermann says, slouching in his seat. His shoulder presses against Newt's arm and even with all the alcohol warming his system, he can still feel the heat of Hermann's body against him.

At any other time, the pang in his chest might hurt; it might make him retreat into himself so the reality of the situation couldn't get to him. But sitting here, now, with the music blaring, the lights down low, and their friends laughing and enjoying the night, it just feels... nice.

He smiles and raises his cup, clinking the plastic together and settling in.

It's well after midnight when the party winds down. The Kaidonovsky's are slow dancing in a corner, the Wei's seeing how slow they can breakdance in the middle of the room. Tendo and Pentecost are having a quiet conversation as Mako dozes on the Marshall's shoulder. 

Pentecost looks down at her with a distant smile and nudges her with his elbow. She looks up at him with bleary eyes and he gestures to the door. She nods and straightens rubbing her eyes before inclining her head to Tendo and heading toward the door. She waves sleepily to Hermann and Newt as she passes and then she's gone.

Pentecost follows shortly after, stopping to lean in to speak to them. "Half day tomorrow, gentlemen," he says in a quiet tone. "You've earned it."

"Sweet, blessed sleep," Hermann says, eyes drooping and smile spreading wide over his face. "Thank y', sir."

"If we had the time, I'd make it a full day," Pentecost says regretfully. "Enjoy the rest of your night."

Pentecost claps Newt on the shoulder and heads out of the room. Tendo wanders over a few moments later.

"I'm out, too. You guys gonna need a hand getting back to your rooms?"

"Psh, y' think we can't walk? We're _excellent_ at walkin'. Gold standard walkers, we are," Newt says, elbowing Hermann.

"Just checking," Tendo says, eyeing Newt warily. "Hermann, you good?"

"I am most _excellent_ , m'friend," Hermann says with a beatific smile. 

"Never thought I would have seen a point where I left a party more sober than you," Tendo says, huffing a quiet laugh. "You've got my number; call me if you change your mind. I don't want to wake up to reports of you sleeping in a hallway somewhere, y'hear me?"

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it," Hermann says, looking scandalised at the thought. "Newt's m'neighbour. We'll get each other home." Hermann nods, setting him to swaying in place.

"Sure you will," Tendo says, eyes sweeping up and down Newt. "See you tomorrow. Commissary's doing a fry up; all the greasy food you'll ever want."

Tendo leaves and Newt's left staring out at the room. 

The Kaidonovsky's wave as they walk past, murmuring their goodnights as they head out into the hall and the Wei's follow shortly thereafter. Newt thinks he hears them talking about heading down to play drunk basketball in the hangar, but he's too busy looking at Hermann's profile to wonder about it.

"This was a good party. A good, good party. Yeah, I liked it. Good," Newt says, now that everyone's left the room he's not quite sure what to say.

"I wish I had th' time to drink more often," Hermann says, leaning to the side so he can smile at Newt. "No pressure, no _pain_. Everything... tingles. I'm _tingling_."

"Have y'got the thing where y'r cheeks are all... y'know." he pokes at his face. He can feel his cheek and he can feel that he poked his cheek but there's a weird disconnect in his head and it feels numb and supersensitive at the same time.

Hermann doesn't respond and Newt has to drag himself away from running his fingers over his face to check that he hasn't fallen asleep.

Hermann's staring at him with an odd expression, a mix of wonder and fear, and then he's leaning in and Newt can see him getting closer and closer and he can't quite process what's going on but then Hermann's lips are against his. They're soft and pliant and nothing like he imagined his first kiss with Hermann would be. He moves his lips against Hermann's and feels a hand against his cheek, fingertips pressing lightly against his cheekbone and his own hands have moved to Hermann's waist, brushing over soft, worn leather and curling into rough tweed. 

He pulls back to catch his breath, forehead resting against Hermann's as he tries to get his brain to work through the jumbled mess of thoughts to form one coherent sentence.

"Is this the alcohol talking or...?" He settles for half, biting his lip, staring into Hermann's eyes even though he's afraid of what he'll see there.

"I _wish_ it were the alc'hol talking," Hermann says, eyes crinkling at the sides. His fingers pat his cheek gently, tapping over the light stubble before settling into rubbing light circles. "Your _hair_ and your _face_ and you- we're _alive_... but we may not be for much longer-"

"Damnit, Hermann," Newt pulls away, shaking his head as he holds Hermann back with the flat of his hand. "Don' do this. I don' wanna be y'r... I dunno... _End of the World Booty Call_."

" _Y're not_. You won't be. You didn't let me finish; you _never_ let me finish. If you'd just, for once in your life, _listen to me_ and let me finish, maybe we'd-"

"Then _finish!_ F' fuck's sake, Hermann. You just go on and on and on and dance around th' subject but if y'd just-"

" _I don't want to_ die _without you knowing how I feel_ ," Hermann says desperately, cupping Newt's cheek to focus his attention. "I-"

"But you don' even _like_ me," Newt says, bewildered.

"But I _do_ ," Hermann says, working his other hand out from between them so he can hold Newt's face in his hands. "I like you, and I like arguing with you, and I want- I want to get _breakfast_ with you and dinner and lunch, too. And I want to _hug_ you when things aren't going right and I want to hug you when they _are_. And I want to play Twister with you. Naked Twister. Often."

"How did you- Were you _hiding_ all'a that? I don' get how- Wait, naked Twister?" Newt blinks. He isn't sure what the hell is going on in this conversation but he thinks that maybe Hermann's not bullshitting him.

"Poss'bly more _euph'mism_ Twister. I want... I want to kiss you in places y'r not allowed to when playing Twister. An' with less bending, but- D'you believe me? D'you want this too, or- Oh. You were trying t' let me down gentle."

"No!" Newt yelps, grabbing Hermann and pulling him close. His drunk limbs are uncoordinated and he uses a little too much force, but he thinks having a lapful of Hermann more than makes his point. "I jus'... We've been yellin' at each other f'r _years_ an' now y'r sitting in my lap like you wanna be there. S'weird."

"I _do_ want t' be here," Hermann says, pressing his forehead against Newt's and wrapping an arm around his shoulder for balance. "But... We _could be_ somewhere a touch more horizontal."

"Lessgo back t' y'r room," Newt says, brushing his lips against Hermann's. 

Hermann kisses him softly and leverages himself up into a standing position. He's wobbling slightly, but he holds out a hand until Newt follows suit.

He wraps an arm around Hermann's middle to keep them both steady as they walk towards the door. 

"Hey, Hermann," he says before they can breach the threshold.

Hermann looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

Newt grins and slides a hand down Hermann's back. "Left hand: _Ass_."

Hermann snorts and brings a hand up to Newt's chest, patting twice as he gives him a kiss. "Let's go to bed."


End file.
